Travel-World Photography
Masada an ancient fortification close to the Dead Sea, situated on top of an isolated rock plateau, akin to a mesa. As the plateau abruptly ends in cliffs steeply falling about 400 m to the east and about 90 m to the west, the natural approaches to the fortress are very difficult. The top of the plateau is flat. The fortress contained storehouses, barracks, an armory, a palace, and a series of cisterns with a capacity around 40,000 m3. The cisterns were refilled by rainwater. Three narrow, winding paths led from below up to fortified gates.
Today, the common access is by a gondola, and then up some very steep steps to the top.
Masada was under a siege by the Roman troops from 72 to 73 AD. The finally captured the fortress by building a large ramp from e nearby hill to the very top. Once up there, they discovered that all inhabitants were dead, either by suicide or disappeared for other
